Greenwave Organization Corp

PURPOSE: THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO IMPLEMENT THE CONNECTICUT KELP INNOVATION CENTER, WHICH WILL ADDRESS CRITICAL BARRIERS THAT HAMPER GROWTH OF SEAWEED CULTIVATION IN CONNECTICUT, CREATING WORKING WATERFRONT JOBS THAT HAVE A CLIMATE POSITIVE IMPACT. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE CENTER WILL ADDRESS THESE BARRIERS BY INCREASING LOCAL FARMER-OPERATED KELP SEED PRODUCTION CAPACITY, HELPING FARMERS SCALE OPERATIONS, DEVELOPING A SHARED-USE MOBILE PLATFORM FOR HARVEST, PRIMARY PROCESSING, AND STABILIZATION, AND EXPANDING COLD STORAGE CAPACITY. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT ANNUAL KELP SEED PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN CONNECTICUT WILL TRIPLE TO 225,000 FEET WHICH CAN YIELD UP TO 1.8 MILLION POUNDS OF WET HARVEST, BY 2027, 7 CONNECTICUT KELP FARMERS WILL INCREASE PRODUCTION BY 300,000 - 500,000 LBS AND 3 SHELLFISH FARMERS WILL DIVERSIFY OPERATIONS TO INCLUDE KELP; AND CONNECTICUT FARMERS WILL EXPAND PRODUCTION, REDUCE COSTS, AND CAPTURE MORE OF THE KEL

THE U.S. COMMERCIAL SEAWEED MARKET IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST PROMISING EMERGING INDUSTRIES, FORECASTED TO GROW 7% FROM 2022 TO 2029. FOR FISHERMEN AND SHELLFISH FARMERS, ADDING KELP CULTIVATION TO THEIR BUSINESS STRATEGY OFFERS THE POTENTIAL TO MANAGE RISK BY DIVERSIFYING THEIR CROPS, EXTENDING THEIR GROWING SEASON, AND INCREASING REVENUE. WHILE THIS NASCENT MARKET OFFERS POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR FISHERIES AND THEIR STAKEHOLDERS, FARMERS FACE A NUMBER OF BARRIERS TO SUCCESS. ONE OF THOSE BARRIERS IS MISMATCHED EXPECTATIONS BETWEEN FARMERS AND THEIR PROSPECTIVE BUYERS, WHICH CAN RESULT FROM A LACK OF SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITIES-WHICH INCLUDE UNCERTAINTIES INVOLVING PRODUCTION CAPACITY, REGULATIONS, FOOD SAFETY, AND PROCESSING-OF AN EMERGING AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAIN. IN ORDER FOR THE INDUSTRY TO EXPAND, STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN NEED EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO ALIGN THEIR RESPECTIVE MOTIVATIONS AND GOALS AND DEVELOP SUCCESSFUL LONG TERM PURCHASING REL

STRENGTHENING MARKET CONNECTIONS FOR KELP FARMERS IN SOUTHER NEW ENGLAND